


Morning Murmurations

by astudyinotters753



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-01 10:45:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8621470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinotters753/pseuds/astudyinotters753
Summary: It’s dark when Viktor gets to the rink.  All the lights are off, the floors glint in the moonlight, and every door but one is locked.  Inside is quiet; the clipped echo of his shoes against the tiles sound too loud for the early morning quiet.  As he makes his way past the skate rental counter, he hears the soft shhhhctk shhhhhctk of blades against the ice





	

It’s dark when Viktor gets to the rink. All the lights are off, the floors glint in the moonlight, and every door but one is locked. Inside is quiet; the clipped echo of his shoes against the tiles sound too loud for the early morning quiet. As he makes his way past the skate rental counter, he hears the soft _shhhhctk shhhhhctk_ of blades against the ice.

Turning his head towards the noise, he sees Yuuri there, aimlessly skating in swirls from one end of the rink to the other. His face is dark and half-hidden in shadows as he moves. He watches as Yuuri keeps moving, watches the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest as he takes measured breaths, watches as the furrow between Yuuri's eyebrows slowly relaxes as he skates through whatever problem has driven him here.

Somewhere between the fortieth and fiftieth lap, something in Yuuri changes, and his footwork becomes more complicated, more aware, more involved. Try as he might, Viktor can't pull his eyes away as Yuuri settles into a few, slow spins.

Yuuri's back bows backwards, and an arm extends in a graceful arc towards the ceiling. He makes a few rotations, then alters his stance, raising one of his legs and bending to hold it closer to his chest.

His spins get faster, filled with more energy as the sun starts to peak over the top of the horizon. When the light just starts to glint against Yuuri's eyes, he moves on from spins to simplified jumps. He starts with singles and doubles, working favored footwork sequences in-between the leaps.

He's beautiful like this, Viktor realizes, as he watches Yuuri start to incorporate pieces of their choreography into the stillness of the early morning. He's stunning in the way a lazy morning is, quiet and fluid, and filled with soft vibrancy that Viktor hasn't seen anywhere else. Each of Yuuri's movements have lost the stiffness that often follow him into competition, replaced by an easy languidness only complete comfort can allow.

It makes Viktor yearn for his own skates, makes him yearn to skate with the same easy-going passion that Yuuri is, makes him yearn to skate with Yuuri in the hopes that they could create something beautiful together.

So he waits, leaned up against the side of the skate rental counter, until Yuuri becomes more preoccupied with practicing his triple jumps, waits until Yuuri's established a pattern - axel, loop, lutz, flip - to quietly unzip his bag, waits until Yuuri's so absorbed into his own training that he doesn't notice Viktor approaching the ice.

Yuuri jerks around when he hears the sound of a second pair of skates on the ice, the intense confusion melting into a look that VIktor can only describe as fond. "Good morning," he greets, a lazy smile spreading across his lips.

In lieu of a proper greeting, Viktor skates over to Yuuri, gathers him close, and presses a kiss to the top of his head. They stay like that for a long moment, losing track of time as they take each other in.

When they break apart, the sun has risen enough that they don't need the rink's fluorescent lights to see around them.  
"You weren't there this morning," Viktor says, grabbing at Yuuri's hands as he starts to glide backwards, mimicking Yuuri's carefree motions. "I didn't like waking up alone."  
The apples of Yuuri's cheeks flush as he stammers out an apology. "I was just feeling restless, I guess," he offers. "I had a lot to think about."

Viktor guides them around the curve of the rink before spinning them around, letting Yuuri take the lead. "Did you get it thought through?" he asks. "Or do you need a little more time?”

"No," Yuuri replies, pulling Viktor in a little closer. "I think I've spent enough time thinking. It's time for doing, now."

Just as slowly as they started skating, they glide to a stop by one of the ledges, immediately moving into each other's space.

"And what does doing look like, Yuuri?" Viktor asks raising a hand to cradle the curve of Yuuri's jaw.

"It looks like what we were just doing," Yuuri answers, turning his head to press a kiss to the palm of Viktor's hand. "But more. Viktor, I want to skate with you."

"Then let’s skate," Viktor says, leaning down to press his forehead against Yuuri's. "But first, I think some breakfast would be a good idea. For the both of us."

Yuuri grins and nods, allowing Viktor to lead him off the ice. They're quiet as they exchange their skates for sneakers. They end up leaving the rink with their bags slung over their shoulders and their hands entwined, swinging lightly between them.

"Viktor?" Yuuri starts as they near the onsen house.

"What is it?" Viktor asks, gently squeezing Yuuri's hand.

"Can we have katsudon for dinner tonight?"

Viktor's answering laugh is loud and sudden enough to startle the morning fisherman into dropping his bait into the water below. He knows there's so much that goes unsaid in Yuuri's question, knows that there's a message there that only he can understand, knows that this is Yuuri's special way of telling him that he loves him.

"You haven't won any competitions yet this season, Yuuri," he replies.

Beside him, Yuuri smiles and leans his head against Viktor's shoulder. "I guess that's true," he admits. "But it's a good day for celebration anyways."

Yuuri's words stop Viktor in his tracks. "Yuuri," he whines, tugging back on Yuuri's hand. "What did I forget this time?"

"Don't you remember?" Yuuri asks, turning to face Viktor. "Today's the anniversary of you becoming my coach. It's been an entire year since I met you for real."

Viktor immediately sobers, his hand tightening hard around Yuuri's. "Oh," he manages to breathe out, struck speechless.

"I know," Yuuri says, smiling encouragingly at Viktor. "I can't believe it's been that long either. But I'm grateful that it has been. I've learned a lot from you, Viktor."

Yuuri's words buzz in Viktor's ears, changing and morphing their meaning with every passing second. It doesn't seem to matter what Yuuri is saying to him, anymore, for all he hears is a quiet _I love you._

"You've still got a lot to learn, Yuuri," Viktor replies with a wink to accompany his grin. He hopes, as Yuuri laughs and tugs him along, that he hears the _I love you, too._

When Yuuri squeezes his hand back as they enter the onsen house, Viktor knows he's been heard.


End file.
